The Department of Labor and Employment provided some P344 million worth of livelihood and emergency employment grants to around 85,500 marginalized workers in Central Luzon last year.
The DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) is a livelihood flagship program that engages marginalized individuals or groups into entrepreneurship and enables them to transform their livelihood projects to sustainable businesses.
“These assistance created some 5,774 livelihood projects in 2016 benefiting rural, women, youth, indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized workers,” DOLE Regional Director Ana Dione disclosed.
“We want to engage our marginalized workers from all over the region to become budding entrepreneurs through our livelihood interventions so that they can start their careers anew and succeed in their small businesses in order to provide a better life for their families,” Dione stressed.
From the figure, about 35,240 were provided livelihood assistance sourced under the DILEEP’s regular and Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB) projects intended to capacitate them for livelihood formation, enhancement, and restoration.
Livelihood projects included Negosyo sa Kariton, Starter KITS, Community Enterprise Development Program, Adjustment Measurement Program, Workers Income Augmentation, and Youth Entrepreneurship Support.
Dione added that some parents of children-at-risk or former child laborers, in consonance with the Child-Labor Program, were also among the recipients of the livelihood assistance.
Moreover, eight family-awardees of the Commission on Population’s 100 Millionth Symbolic Pinoy of Central Luzon were also recipients of various livelihood projects.
The have undergone Entrepreneurial Development Training to ensure the proper management of their livelihood projects and turn them into formidable and sustainable businesses.
Meanwhile, the remaining 50,000 grantees last year were provided with emergency employment assistance under the regular, BUB, and special-funded projects of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers .
TUPAD beneficiaries were tasked to perform social community works such as basic repair of common public facilities, cleaning/clearing of road side walks, and de-clogging of canals.
Dione credits the DILEEP’s successful implementation to its strong partnership with the local government units (LGUs), Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs), and other partner agencies.
“It has always been about genuine partnerships with the LGUs, particularly its respective hardworking PESOs, and other partner agencies for the success of the DILEEP. We are grateful for your continuous support and cooperation in championing the marginal sector,” Dione said.
This year, DILEEP will continue to provide easier access to livelihood and emergency employment opportunities as well as social protection for marginalized/vulnerable workers of the region.